


Dream With Open Eyes

by ErikaWilliams



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cuddling, Hunk deserves all the love, M/M, Mentions of First Time, Season 2 Events Mentioned, Shiro mention, Stressed Keith, post season two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-24 12:42:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9727355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErikaWilliams/pseuds/ErikaWilliams
Summary: Late at night, Keith struggles with his new leadership role.Fic 2 of 2 for Voltron Rare Pair Week Prompt Awake/Dreams.





	

It was late, long past the time Keith should have been thinking about going to sleep. Everyone else was already in bed. Well, technically he was in bed, even if he wasn’t anywhere near sleep. The lights were dimmed, and he was wearing only his t-shirt and boxers, but he was seated, one knee pulled close to his chest. Despite the late hour, sleep was the furthest things from his mind.

What they were going to do about the missing Shiro. How they would form Voltron without him. If Zarkon and the threat he had possessed had really been defeated or if this was simply the calm before another bigger storm hit them.

Laying beside him was his companion, his head on the pillow while Keith sat at the foot of the bed facing him. If companion was the right word for it, but now was not the time to be debating about that. It would have been far better to think about that earlier, but it was far too late to regret it now. Actually, regret wasn’t quite the word he was thinking of. There were a lot of things he regretted, things that had been left unsaid, bad decisions he had made, but Hunk sprawled across the bed next to him, one arm flung across his eyes while he snored quietly was not one of them. He prodded Hunk’s shoulder with his bare toes, but got no response. Maybe Hunk had the right idea and he should just give himself over to the oblivion of sleep.

Hunk tried to help him forget his troubles in all the little things he did to show he cared. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough and his thoughts had a tendency to come tumbling back in the dead of night. He almost envied Hunk’s blissful slumber, to not have the cares that gnawed at his mind. That wasn’t fair. Hunk felt those worries too, but he had a different way of expressing it. Hunk had the tendency to panic in the moment instead of letting it snowball until he was sitting up all night chewing on his lower lip.

“I don’t know what to do,” he admitted into the quiet of the night. He paused, but Hunk continued snoring. Shiro left him in charge, and Shiro had always been careful not to show any weakness or indecision around the others. “Shiro wanted me to lead Voltron, but I don’t even know where to begin. How am I supposed to lead Voltron where there’s only four of us?” He sighed. “I wish he hadn’t left us.”

He didn’t get a response from Hunk and he wasn’t sure if he wanted one or not. Shiro had made the decision to be vulnerable around him, and he remembered all too acutely how that had made him feel. He couldn’t do that to Hunk. Hunk would worry about him endlessly, and it might make things more difficult for all of them.

“I wish I would have told Shiro about us.” His hand reached out to cover Hunk’s without input from his brain. It had just become so natural to seek physical comfort from him. Which was kind of what had led them to this situation in the first place. He might have taken the time to think about it a little more, but eventually they would have wound up at the same place. “I should have told him about us. I wanted to tell him about us.” There had never been a good time. How was he supposed to go up to Shiro, the defacto leader of their group, and tell him that he was kind of sort of dating one of the other paladins. Kinda sorta because he wasn’t sure dating was the correct word for what they were doing. They had never actually been on a real date. There had been very little alone time, some hand holding, and a few stolen kisses, but he wouldn’t call it dating. Now they had to go and add this to the mix. He didn’t know what to think about it anymore. Not that he could change anything about it now.

“If we ever find him, I promise I’ll tell him.” He studied Hunk’s face for a moment, though he wasn’t really expecting much of a response. Hunk had previously fallen asleep during cuddle sessions and was nearly impossible to rouse when he was out.

“You know, just because we-” he hesitated, unable to give voice to it just yet. “You didn’t have to go to sleep,” he finished with a slight pout. It was almost too cliché for him to believe, yet there was Hunk, sound asleep next to him, while he sat next to him literally pondering the fate of the universe. Hunk had been staying up late a lot recently, keeping him company while he adjusted to his new role. Hunk deserved some rest. He should get some rest himself, but he just couldn’t shut his brain down long enough to do it. He didn’t understand how Shiro and Allura had dealt with the pressure. He resisted the urge to brush the hair off Hunk’s face because that was far too sentimental and that would probably be the one thing that would waken Hunk.

“Huh, I wonder what you’re dreaming about.”

“You, I hope,” Hunk responded quietly before sitting up in the bed.

“I thought you were asleep,” he said, looking out into the room.

“I know. I heard you criticizing me.”

He hadn’t meant to sound critical. He had just been thinking aloud and had envied Hunk’s ability to sleep. 

“You were getting dressed, so I thought you wanted to leave. I thought it would be less awkward if I was asleep.”

“I was just cold.” The castle was large, and the vacuum of space seemed to suck the heat straight out of it.

“It’s warm under the covers,” Hunk suggested. Keith was sure it was, under the covers and stretched out next to the warmth of Hunk’s body. That’s what he should have done in the first place, and perhaps he would already be asleep. Hunk put his hand on either side of his face and kissed him gently on the forehead. “Why don’t you come join me and find out?”

“I don’t know what to do,” he admitted, allowing Hunk to pull him closer, strong arms wrapped around his shoulders. At least he always knew for certain that he was safe there. Always welcome, regardless of the circumstances.

“I know,” Hunk whispered before placing another kiss on his temple. His warmth and his kisses were getting distracting, which had probably been Hunk’s intention all along. Hunk’s distractions were always nice, even though they were only temporary. His problems could not go away forever, no matter how much both of them might wish them to. “It’s also easier to face your problems on a full stomach and a good night’s rest.”

“You’re right.” Of course he was right. He let Hunk guide both of them back down to the mattress, Hunk’s arm still wrapped carefully around him. He placed his head on Hunk’s shoulder, and curled up comfortably against his side. Hunk was at least very warm. Here he could try to sleep and maybe dream of a simpler life for the two of them.


End file.
